Partly masked by a plant canopy, Lowpoint on Poland Avenue in the Ninth Ward has built a tight-knit following of loyal customers by offering café fare, small-press books, deli sandwiches, wine, and beer. Now, the mercurial café is preparing to move about half a mile away to 3700 Saint Claude Ave. Co-owner Mik Grantham recently told What Now New Orleans that the new location is much bigger and has a full commercial kitchen, unlike the current location.
“Moving is bittersweet because we’ve been there for so long,” she said. “I mean, it’s been four years that we’ve owned the business, but then my partner Potter (DeBella) worked there when it was Solo Espresso for six years, and I worked at Solo for three years. So, we’ve just been on that corner for a really long time.”
Grantham said rising rent and nearby bridge construction this summer forced the partners to look for a new location.
“We’re right in between the Saint Claude Bridge and the Claiborne Bridge, and for like a month-and-a-half, the Claiborne Bridge was closed,” she said. “It just screwed our business. When there’s heavy traffic on Poland Avenue, people aren’t coming to Lowpoint. They’re like, it’s too hard to get there.”
The cafe will look to take advantage of higher foot traffic on Saint Claude by expanding its breakfast and lunch menus. Grantham said customers have been asking for a breakfast sandwich, and the lack of a kitchen at the current location meant they couldn’t cook eggs. She added that the rest of the expanded menu will be fleshed out during an initial soft opening phase.
The move will raise the profile of Lowpoint, which had enjoyed a small and loyal following. Grantham admitted that having such a low profile can be a bit of a double-edged sword.
“Everyone’s always like, you’re a hidden gem. And I love that. But I’m also like, I don’t want to be too hidden!”
